The Catalac 8M, although classified as a pocket cruiser was designed with blue water cruising in mind. The Catalac is masthead rigged with a relatively short, but thick mast. This contributes to a stable boat with a low center of effort. No Catalac has ever been known to fly a hull under any circumstances. The outboard powered models surprisingly sprightly under sail. While twin diesel models can easily motor almost 1000 kilometres without refuelling. The 70 gallons of stock water tanks in the 8M and 9M make even these smaller boats terrific coastal cruisers. Constructed with solid fibreglass hulls, these are quality boats which were built like battleships, intended for continued heavy use and blue water cruising.